


Chapter One

by iwillstillopenthewindow



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-04
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-05 08:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3113558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwillstillopenthewindow/pseuds/iwillstillopenthewindow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>According to Kageyama Tobio’s mom, the perfect way to spend the last day of his winter break is to accompany his eight-year-old cousin to a birthday party. It’s a chance to get to know other people, and who knows, maybe he'll find someone who also likes his favorite book, 'Who Stole My Volleyball'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> For my wonderful friend, [Caitlin](http://www.tatsumiyaa.tumblr.com)! Thank you for all the precious kagehina moments that we shared together. //hugs
> 
> The name 'Mamura Daiki' pops up a lot because of reasons hahaha.

According to Kageyama Tobio’s mom, the perfect way to spend the last day of his winter break is to accompany his eight-year-old cousin to a birthday party.

Never mind that it’s snowing outside and that Kageyama absolutely hates the cold; his cousin’s friend’s house is only a few blocks away.

It’s a chance to get to know other people, which is apparently better than Kageyama cooping himself up in his bedroom after it got too cold to play volleyball in their backyard.

Since Kageyama doesn’t have anything to do and definitely not because his mom can be very persuasive and frightening, he says okay, but not before making her promise to buy him some new knee pads. His old ones are reaching the end of their volleyball journey, unfortunately.

One of the major problems is that his mom probably didn’t take into account that the only ‘people’ that would present at the party are kids and their mothers, and Kageyama has no intention whatsoever of befriending tiny screaming trolls and nosy adults who keep on asking him if he has a girlfriend, for god’s sake.

So when the celebrant’s mom finishes setting up the food and calls out for the guests to ‘start digging in,’ Kageyama bravely maneuvers his way through the throng of children making grabby hands and mothers getting their ‘kids’ some food (while grabbing a barbeque stick for themselves). He immediately nabs the bag of chips in the middle of the pile of sweets, takes a plastic cup and a bottle of soda (a child takes too long to pour themselves a drink, damn it).

Kageyama settles in an armchair in the corner of the living room, far away from the makeshift stage that the hosts have set up. This is how his night will go, nibbling on chips and getting drunk off a bottle of a non-alcoholic beverage. At least he’s warm enough with his sweater, jacket, and the tiny pink party hat that his cousin has forced him to wear.

It’s been thirty minutes and Kageyama’s thinking of a name for his imaginary friend that he’ll ‘meet’ tonight, a friend that he’ll talk about with his mom. He’ll say that it’s a shame that his friend lives in another country and is only here for winter break. He’ll say it’s a shame that he won’t be able to bring his friend over because of at least ten thousand kilometers that separates them and definitely not because he’s imaginary.

Kageyama has narrowed down his friend’s name to either ‘Mamura Daichi’ or ‘Mamura Daiki’ just as the front door blasts open and a pair of orange-haired kids come tumbling in.

A ray of light fills Kageyama’s vision when he finds out that the boy is actually a teenager. He confirms it when a mother of a particularly bratty child walks up to the two, frowns and says, “What kind of parents would let two children come here all alone?” The boy stands straight, puffs his chest out and shouts, “I’m already seventeen years old and can take care of my little sister just fine!”

Maybe Mamura Daiki (Daichi???) will be relieved of his duty to spare Kageyama from his mom’s tedious _you-need-to-go-out-more_ lecture.   

The light quickly fades when the boy bounces over to him after his little sister has been taken away by her group of friends. He… talks a lot.

Kageyama quickly pulls out a pocketbook that he kept in his jacket and pretends to be reading, except he isn’t since he’s already finished reading it twice. It’s the only book that Kageyama’s willing to read and he thanks the heavens that his Literature teacher included it in their reading list. Maybe the boy will get the hint, that Kageyama’s too busy sympathizing with the main character who loses his prized possession (a volleyball) in chapter three.

Or maybe the boy won’t get the hint and will even sit on one of the chair's armrests, even though Kageyama has claimed the entire chair as his for the next two hours, and will nearly cause the half-eaten bag of chips to fall.

“What’s that?” his new seatmate asks, leaning in close enough for his hair to tickle Kageyama’s cheek.

He’s never going to give up, Kageyama knows, so he mumbles, “Who Stole My Volleyball,” and shows him the cover.

The book gets snatched out of Kageyama’s hands as the boy jumps up from his place, his eyes twinkling with excitement. Kageyama’s about to scold him for almost knocking off the bag of chips _again_ , but the boy cuts him off.

“Uoooh! This is great!” he exclaims, lifting the book up in the air in reverence. “I’m only on chapter six but the whole mystery’s already killing me!”

He’s forgiven for his earlier blunders, Kageyama decides. “Wait until you get to chapter twelve. They—”

“No!” the boy pushes the book to Kageyama’s chest. “No spoilers, damn it. But really! The guy’s all BAM and GWAH but then this girl comes and she’s just as GWAH as him. Do you think it’s a coincidence that his volleyball gets stolen right after the girl challenges him to a match? What about the basketball team’s manager? He’s been acting pretty strange if you ask me.”

Much to Kageyama’s disappointment, he doesn’t get to ask the boy about the cunning basketball manager from the story. The mother of the birthday celebrant steps up on the platform on the other side of the living room, taps the microphone with a finger and clears her throat to get everyone’s attention.

There’s going to be a game, apparently. On a table are two sets of plastic cups, and the winner is the one who stacks up his set faster.

Children are already whispering excitedly, some boasting about how they’ll win and stuff.

‘Boring,’ Kageyama thinks as he opens his book again. Hmmm, the basketball team’s manager _does_ seem a bit suspicious—

“That’s kinda lame.”

Kageyama turns to the boy, ready to retaliate because this page is full of important evidences against the criminal and info that will strengthen the somewhat suspicious manager’s alibi (he’ll be careful not to spoil the story too much), only to see him watching the first pair of competitors, stifling a yawn.

He turns to Kageyama. “Isn’t it a bit too easy? Even for small kids, really.”

“You mean, even for you?” Kageyama teases.

“I’m seventeen!” the boy huffs, stomping his feet.

Kageyama raises an eyebrow at that.  That’s not something a seventeen-year-old would do, he tells him. When the shorty pouts, points at the party hat that Kageyama’s wearing and says something like, “I don’t think you’re credible enough to say what seventeen year olds would and wouldn’t do,” Kageyama ignores him, choosing to rekindle his and the forgotten bag of chips’ old friendship instead.

 “I can definitely beat you,” shorty mutters as he crosses his arms.

Kageyama blinks.

"Is that a challenge?" he asks, closing his book.

Shorty looks at him like _obviously it’s a challenge and it’s a challenge that I’m going to win_ and Kageyama’s having none of that so he stands up, winces when his bag of chips falls to the floor, and smirks when he sees that he’s much taller than the boy.

There’s clapping and cheering and the host is asking, “Who wants to go next?”

“Us!”

And before Kageyama can complain he’s already getting dragged off to the front. The host is telling them that this game is for kids but easily gives up when the children start cheering again.

They each take a set of plastic cups and wait for the go signal. The whistle is blown and off they go. Kageyama can hear the furious stacking beside him but he’s Kageyama Tobio and he’s never lost in this game ten years ago, during his own birthday party. So when he successfully finishes first, he can’t fight the smirk that spreads on his face, especially after seeing the horrified look on shorty’s.

“YOU CHEATED!” the boy screams, pointing at Kageyama as though he stole his volleyball. “I WANT A REMATCH!”

Shorty wins this time and Kageyama is going to wipe that stupid grin on his face. _just. he. wait_.

Four rounds later, they end up breaking the plastic cups.

But shorty’s the one who won last and that is unacceptable. For once in his life, Kageyama is grateful that his face scares off children and animals because he is going to mop the floor with shorty’s tears after he beats him in musical chairs.

They’re instantly out of the game after Kageyama ‘accidentally’ pushes a child, who bumps into shorty, who bumps into another kid…

They grab the packs of bubble wrap on the table then, with shorty declaring that it’s time for a bubble wrap race.

And the host finally loses it when they end up using all the bubble wrap and they’re both screaming at each other because Kageyama seems to believe that the goal of the game is to pop all the little bubbles.

“YOU HAVE TO _NOT_ POP THEM, YOU STUPID TURD.”

“ARE YOU A FUCKING IDIOT? THEN WE’D BE MOVING TOO SLOW AND THAT WOULDN’T BE A RACE.”

“THAT’S IT. Out. The two of you, OUT.”

They’re both pushed out of the front door. “The party ends at eight P.M.,” the mother says, before she slams the door in their faces.

Kageyama internally apologizes to his imaginary friend, Mamura Daichi (Daiki???). He should not have fallen victim to shorty’s stupid hair and stupid smile and stupid competitiveness and stupid same interest in the only book that Kageyama finds amusing and almost everyone he knows (it’s actually just a short list, but still) thinks it’s stupid. He should have stuck with Daiki. Daichi. Yeah.

He’s sure that Mamura wouldn’t let him freeze to death. Maybe.

Kageyama’s also sure that Mamura wouldn’t make fun of the stupid pink party hat that he’s forgotten to take off and he wouldn’t have needed to explain that the hat is a joke from his own birthday party a week ago.

“Your birthday?” the boy asks after he successfully swipes the hat from Kageyama’s head.

“Last week. The 22nd,” Kageyama replies, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

And just like that, shorty brightens as though he has the best idea ever and hops down the steps of the front porch.

He turns back to Kageyama and smirks. “Up for another challenge?”

He’s always up for another challenge, Kageyama replies. Though as soon as the words leave his mouth, shorty sprints off and Kageyama instinctively follows suit, plunging into the winter wonderland.

“Why are we running?” Kageyama shouts. “It’s freaking cold!”

Shorty doesn’t even look at him. “That’s exactly why we’re running, idiot!”

He doesn’t stop and Kageyama has no choice but to follow him. Kageyama’s breathing becomes labored, but he doesn’t spend two hours jogging almost every morning without results and soon enough he catches up to the boy, who looks certainly surprised that Kageyama’s managed to keep up.

Then he smirks and he speeds off even faster than before.

They’re both huffing and puffing when shorty finally skids to a stop.

Kageyama’s haven’t really been to this part of the neighborhood, but his companion has, apparently, and leads him to a park.

There’s snow everywhere. It’s cold. Kageyama wishes that they would just keep running.

But shorty has other plans and is already walking to a single swing set. He pats the thin layer of snow on the seat and expectantly stares at Kageyama, who has no idea what to do.

 “…What?”

 Shorty frowns at him like he’s an idiot. “This is my birthday gift. You can go first.”

“And since you did kinda win that stacking thing,” he looks at the snow-covered ground, “I’ll even give you a push.”

Kageyama hesitantly sits down on the wooden seat, genuinely concerned that the other boy won’t be able to push him, but he shuts up when shorty reminds him that his fate rests in his hands right now.

One push and Kageyama ends up face down on the ground, his face deep in the snow.

At least his offender sounds sincere as he apologizes, but that doesn’t stop Kageyama from kicking his ankle, making him fall as well.

Kageyama rolls out of the way so shorty won’t fall on him, but shorty’s actually kind of fast and manages to push a hand full of snow right into Kageyama’s face.

Quickly countering with a hastily made snowball, Kageyama stands and runs behind a big tree, narrowly avoiding shorty’s attack.

Snowballs, as well as insults and screams, fly back and forth for a few minutes, until a shop owner steps out and reprimands them for causing a ruckus.

Tired, they lie side by side on the ground, both trying to catch their breath.

Kageyama mentally apologizes to his imaginary friend again. Mamura wouldn’t have forced him to go out running in the snow. Mamura wouldn’t have stupidly pushed him off the damn swing. Mamura wouldn’t have dumped a handful of snow on his head. Mamura wouldn’t have pointed at the sky and comment on how a group of stars looks like him pouting. Mamura wouldn’t notice that Kageyama dropped his book earlier and wouldn’t crawl away to get it and then just roll back with it.

Mamura probably wouldn’t have even approached him during the party.

“Okay, so I actually lost my copy… So,” shorty squints at the book, “spoil me, just this time. What happens to the GWAH dude and the GWAH girl?”

“They end up together,” Kageyama replies. “They kiss.”

“I knew it.”

“Mhhmm.”

“Hey,” shorty says as he returns the book to Kageyama, “do _you_ want a spoiler?”

There isn’t much to spoil, Kageyama says. He mentions that he’s already read the whole book at least twice, and some parts he knows by heart since they come in handy when he’s actually playing volleyball. Shorty perks up at that, shares that he also plays volleyball with his friends and considers joining their school’s team. The boy stays quiet for a minute when Kageyama ah’s and says, “You’ve got great stamina.”

Then shorty repeats his earlier question, “Do you want a spoiler?”

Kageyama turns his head to him, only to see him staring.

“Okay.”

Shorty smiles, different from the smirks and grins that he’s sent Kageyama’s way earlier, and says, “I’m going to kiss you.” 

Then he sits up, still smiling and continues, “But not right now. In the later chapters, maybe?”

Kageyama sits up as well, aware of the heat spreading across his cheeks. Oh well, at least shorty’s blushing too. He’s about to respond when he hears a familiar song and it takes him a second to realize that his phone is ringing.

It’s his cousin and apparently shorty’s sister too. It’s 8:10pm and they’re late. Kageyama smirks and turns to the other boy.

“Up for another challenge?”

Shorty doesn’t even bother answering. He just runs.

 

 

The kids are waiting for them by the front door when they arrive. Shorty’s sister immediately runs up to him, enveloping him in a hug. Kageyama’s cousin only hands him a new bag of chips. It’s as good as a hug, Kageyama says when shorty chuckles at them.

Shorty stares at him, and Kageyama stares at him. It feels a bit empty already, like something’s missing. Or that something _will_ be missing. Shorty’s sister is already pulling on his hand when he asks, “What’s your name?”

Oh. That’s it.

“You would kiss someone whose name you didn’t know?” Kageyama asks, smirking when shorty blushes and swiftly covers his sister’s ears. His own cousin just rolls his eyes and snorts.

“W-what’s your name, idiot!” shorty repeats.

As much as Kageyama enjoys (it’s a newfound hobby) teasing the boy, he remembers that they’re surrounded by piles of snow, and shorty knows how to throw a pretty mean snow ball.

“Kageyama Tobio,” he says.

Then shorty is staring at him again, like he’s trying to figure something out. And just like earlier that night, the boy brightens, as if he’s pieced together a mystery.

He glances at the book in Kageyama’s hands and asks, “Can I borrow that?”

“…Sure?”

Shorty excitedly takes it, grinning when he says, “Thanks! You need this for school right? Don’t worry, I’ll give it back on time!”

“What? How?”

But shorty only sticks a tongue out before taking his sister’s hand in his.

“See ya, Kageyama!” he says as they start walking away.

“Hey, wait!” Kageyama calls out. He’s ready to run after them when he feels his cousin tugging his jacket’s sleeve.

“Tobio,” his cousin says, “auntie called earlier. She said she’s coming to pick us up.”

Well, damn.

 

 

 

Sure enough, Kageyama’s mom starts asking about the party even though they’re still in the car.

“Did you meet anyone?”

“I made a friend,” Kageyama grumbles, “His name’s Mamura Daiki.”

“Excellent! What else happened?” his mother asks.

“I made a friend,” Kageyama mutters, "and something else, I think.”

 

 

 

The next day, Kageyama comes barreling in their lecture room five minutes after the bell rings.

His professor, already used to him being late, just shakes his head and continues with the roll call.

Kageyama’s used to it too, as he makes his way to his chair right in the middle of the huge room. What he’s not used to though, is seeing his copy of Who Stole My Volleyball, a day after a certain person borrowed it, already on his table. There’s even a note on the cover that says:

 

_‘Ready for chapter two? Spoiler alert: the kiss might happen this time.’_

 

What?

 

And then Kageyama hears it, hears the voice from last night, right after their professor calls out, “Hinata Shouyou?”

“Here!”

 

When Kageyama turns to the back of the room, turns to where the sound came from, he sees him. There’s shorty, there’s Hinata Shouyou, looking at him, a triumphant smile on his face as though he has just won.

So Kageyama smirks at him for a second, rips off a page from his notebook, and scribbles three words before crumpling it and throwing it to him.

 

_‘Bring it on.’_

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I like Mamura. I'm sorry.


End file.
